Garmin’s next satellite-connected watch appears at the FCC

A new FCC filing has exposed an unannounced Garmin wrist-worn device with LTE voice support and direct satellite connectivity. It goes by the model number A05170, and while Garmin has hidden its name and appearance, the public radio tests reveal quite a lot about what it can do.

The filing gives away the important part

The FCC equipment authorization was granted on August 5 following an application submitted one day earlier. Garmin describes A05170 simply as a portable digital transceiver, but the accompanying SAR evaluation report explicitly calls it a wrist-worn device that supports no other use conditions.

Inside is a radio package covering LTE-M bands 2, 4 and 12, along with NB-NTN satellite bands 23 and 255. The device also supports 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ANT/ANT+ and NFC, according to Garmin’s antenna data sheet.

The report says LTE-M can be used for voice transmissions, while the satellite connection is limited to data. That points to phone-free calling when cellular coverage is available and satellite-based communication when it is not, although the documents do not spell out the features Garmin plans to offer.

Garmin tested the device with silicone, heathered black nylon and vented titanium straps. That combination makes a premium outdoor or multisport watch much more likely than a small fitness tracker, but the commercial product name remains absent from every public document.

There is no GNSS transmitter listed, but that does not mean the device lacks GPS. Location receivers generally do not transmit and therefore would not necessarily appear in this part of the FCC filing.

Enduro 4 or Fenix 9?

The filing does not reveal the watch’s commercial name, but Enduro 4 and fēnix 9 are the two most plausible candidates. Our Garmin Connect 5.26 teardown found an Enduro 4 entry with internal ID 5179, although nothing in the app connected that watch directly to LTE or satellite hardware.

A05170 now confirms that Garmin has another wrist-worn device using both technologies, but it does not link the regulatory model to Enduro 4. The similarity between the numbers 5170 and 5179 is interesting, but Garmin’s FCC model numbers and app identifiers do not necessarily match.

Fēnix 9 is just as credible, and perhaps the more natural fit. Garmin introduced LTE calling and inReach satellite communication with the fēnix 8 Pro, so carrying that hardware into the next full fēnix generation would make sense. If A05170 is Enduro 4, it would be the first Enduro with this capability.

What remains hidden

Garmin says the tested unit has the physical, mechanical and thermal characteristics expected from production hardware. That suggests development is well advanced, although it does not confirm that manufacturing has started or that a launch is imminent.

The external photos, internal photos and owner’s manual are being kept confidential until February 1, 2027. Garmin could announce the watch before then, release the documents early or request an extension, so that date should not be treated as a launch deadline.

For now, there is no reliable information on the display, case size, sensors, battery life or price. The solid takeaway is narrower but still interesting: Garmin has another phone-free LTE and satellite watch in the pipeline, and its identity is the only major piece still missing.

This article originally appeared on Gadgets & Wearables, the first media outlet to report the story.